


Promise

by StandingTallAgainstGiants



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:53:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22828984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StandingTallAgainstGiants/pseuds/StandingTallAgainstGiants
Summary: Gibbs’ promise
Relationships: Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
Comments: 7
Kudos: 78





	Promise

**Author's Note:**

> A one shot. I’ve tried to make it a little fluffy but I’m not very good at it. All mistakes are mine. Please enjoy!

“You promised you’d try.” Her designated sigh as she entered the hospital room made his gut clench in a very unpleasant way. Looking at her face now he remembered why he had promised in the first place. For her, because looking at the worry lines running across her face didn’t make her any less beautiful, but it did show just how much tonight had truly affected her. 

“I know, ‘n ‘m sorry, but you were just there on the floor stock-still. I lost concentration for one minute.” He’d apologised without even thinking about it. That rule had been burned a long time ago, but not very long after they’d gotten together. 

*

The memory flashed in his head as if it were only yesterday. Him running into a burning building looking for their suspect. Her screaming his name and trying to go after him, and Torres fighting to try and hold her back as he’d requested, knowing she’d try to follow. She hadn’t been much of a talker after that for about a week. He was getting twitchy trying to think of a way to apologise before realising the easiest way was to say the word, and it would mean the most to her, she’d know she was worth it, and he could finally relax, listen to her talk his ear off whilst he sat there and held her, surrounded by her smell and warmth. So he’d got up off the couch, searched the rule out and silently threw it onto the fire. Her eyes widened in disbelief, “What did you do? Was that one of your rules?” 

“‘M sorry Jack. Not used to having someone wait in’ for me, or worrying. Not like you. I promise I’ll try to be more careful.” 

Her eyes softened, and a smile slowly crept onto her face, “That’s all I’m asking you know? I don’t want you to stop being you, I just need you to realise there’s a whole line of us waiting for you to come to terms with the fact that we care about you, and we’d miss you too much if you weren’t here.” She’d risen from the couch and met him at the fire. Both hands cupped his, trying to get her point across. 

“‘S different with you.” He leaned into her touch. It was the simple things he missed, how her touch could be so soft, yet firm and reassuring, and so much like home. 

“I don’t want you second guessing that guy, I just want you to work with it, try stay a little safer. Even if it’s just considering maybe not running into the burning building for a split second.” The head tilt she gave, and the lopsided smirk were all queues that she was teasing him now. 

He pretended to think for a second playing along with her now, the lightheartedness of it all seeping in now she’d let her worry and anger go, “I’ll try my best Lieutenant.” Is all he mumbled before kissing her slow and deep. Hopefully conveying all his emotions to her. 

*

She couldn’t stay angry at him, not when he was sat there with his hand covered in bandages from a wound that he’d sustained trying to get to her. “I know Cowboy, just wish I wasn’t the reason you were in here. Doctor said you’ve got some tendon damage along with the fracture in the wrist. That’s gonna take a while you know.” 

“Jack, if there’s ever gonna be a reason I’m hauled up in a hospital bed with the chance of desk duty and physio there’s no better reason than you.” 

Oh wow, did he know he did that? “So it really was after the wedding ceremony where you started to screw everything up.” It was a statement plain and simple, no question, just a lighthearted joke, a deflection. 

He huffed out a laugh, “Don’t deflect, I mean it.” 

His heated gaze made her stomach do somersault, and her cheeks blush, “I know you mean it, I just,” she came and sat down by his hip on the bed, “this is my fault, so I’m the one who is sorry.” 

He took her hand in his good one, “Ya got nothin’ to apologise for, I love you, and I’m gonna try my damned hardest not to go anywhere.” He froze then, like a deer in headlights, eyes wide and worried. It’d been six months. She hadn’t even told him she loved him yet, if she did. Leroy Jethro Gibbs never said ‘I love you’ first to anyone. 

She had to laugh at him then. He made the perfect picture of concern, she put her hand on his cheek and made him look at her, “I love you too Gunny.” One soft kiss to confirm to him she wasn’t just saying it to make him feel better. 

“Yeah?” The uncertainty was clear in his voice. 

“Of course. How could I not?” 

It was really that easy for her? Well he wasn’t gonna question it, “Good.” He was still in shock, he needed to start functioning again, he was not a teenager, he could handle letting the ‘L word’ slip. 

“So...Leon has given you a non-negotiable four days off, but that includes the weekend, so when you think about it, it’s only two!” 

The grunt he gave was half amused and half annoyed, “You’re lucky you’re worth it ya know.” 

“It was gonna be a week but I haggled him down. If he was gonna make you stay home for a week I was gonna be his new house guest.” Her face showed she was only half joking.

“Well then, thank you for looking out for me.” He leaned in for another kiss but was thrown off when she leaned back.

“Oh Gunny, make no mistakes, I was looking out for numero uno. You’re a bear when you’re forced to take any amount of time off. A whole week? The team would be investigating your murder, and it wouldn’t be a hard one to solve.” 

He sulked a bit then, “‘M not that bad.” 

Her response was quick, placating and true, “You are, but it’s kind of part of the reason why I fell in love with you. Your dedication to your job. Finding out the truth for the victims. It’s very attractive.” She leaned back into him then, kissing him slowly and sensually. 

Apparently his brain was slow today as he pulled back and remembered she’d been down too, “What about you, what did your doctor say?” 

“Relax, bit of a concussion. Got to stay off my feet for a couple days whilst the dizziness subsided, and I’ve got to phone the hospital if my symptoms get any worse, nothing serious. Oh and this little cut on my forehead, although it doesn’t feel very little.” She huffed her disappointment at her tiny wound as she pointed it out. 

“Concussions not nothing Lieutenant.”

“I know, but we’ve both had worse. And I’m not the one with a bandaged up wrist.” She defended herself admirably, but he just simply smiled at her trying to put the focus back into his injuries. 

“Yeah, but there’s a lot less chance of me falling over making coffee than there is you. Have they even released you yet?” 

Her response was sheepish, “I kinda snuck out whilst the nurse wasn’t looking. I do not like Linda.” 

He really laughed then, she always knew what to say to throw him off, make him laugh. “When can we get out of this place?” 

“Soon, I’ve already asked for both sets of discharge papers. I hate hospitals.” She shuddered at the memories.

“I know ya do Jack, we’ll be out soon.” 

“Promise?” Her eyes lit up at the idea of escape. Escaping with him. She’d follow him wherever he wanted to go, and now she was sure, he’d follow her too. That’s all she needed, that’s all either of them needed. Someone who loved them and their scars, no matter how many they were hiding. 

His response was definite and sure, “Promise.”


End file.
